Table and floor lamp



July 21, 1936. H. THORNTON TABLE AND FLOOR LAMP Filed June 10, 1955 H0 (NVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS Patented July 21, 1936 PATENT QFFICE v 2,048,577 mam AND rLooa mm Howard Thornton, Providence, R. L, assignor of one-half to Carl A. Sjoquist, Cranston, R. I.

Application June Iii, 1935, Serial No. 25,865

2' Claim.

This invention relates to lamps oi the table or floor type and has for an object to provide a lamp of this character having a plurality of light bulbs and a novel switch iorming a part of the lamp 5 standard and having a rotatable member which may be easily manipulated to energize the lamps singly or in groups.

A further object is to provide a lamp this character having a novel electric connector in. i the base for carrying the circuit wires from inside the base to the outside of the base.

A further object is to provide a. switch for selectively connecting the supply circuit with branch circuits, the switch being formed of a iew,

L simple, strong and durable parts which are inexpensive to manufacture and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details or construction and combinations 01- parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the i advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through a lamp constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the upper stationary switch member.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the lower stationary switch member.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the revoluble member of the switch.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the revoluble member of the switch.

Figure 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of the electrical connector.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, a lamp is shown comprising a hollow standard iii, a base l and a hollow cap plate I2 secured to the standard. These parts may all be of metal, the standard being simply a pipe, while both the base and the cap plate are as usual in the form of shells provided with threaded nipples l3 which screw on to the corre- 0 sponding ends of the standard.

A shade I4 is'provided with a spindle i5 which is screwed into an opening in the flat top of the cap plate l2 as is customary. A plurality of incandescent lamp sockets l6, l1 and I8 of conventional type have their nipples l9 secured in openings 20 in the cap plate as is customary in floor and table lamp construction.

In order that the incandescent lamp bulbs 22, 22, and 23 may be energized singly or by twos, or as an entirety, a novel switch is provided on the L standard It. The switch comprises a stationary disc 24 having an axial opening 25 to receive the standard. A shell 26 is seated at the edge in a recess 27 formed in the disc and is secured to the' disc by a screw 28. The shell is provided with an integral boss 29 which surrounds the standard and is secured to the standard by a screw 30. The disc, which is formed of insulating material, is provided preferably with three switch contacts "3|, 32 and 33 corresponding to the lamp bulbs 2|,

22 and 23. Each contact is seated in a corre-'= sponding recess formed in the disc and is provided with a stem 34 which projects above the upper face of the disc. A helical spring 35 is seated in the recess behind the contact and urges the contact downwardly. 4 4

A stationary disc 35 similar to the disc 24 is provided with a central opening 31 to receivetli standard and this disc is also formed of insulating material, A cap 38 is seated at the edge in a recess 39 formed in the disc 36. A screw 40 is. passed through the cap and into the wall of the recess to secure the cap to the disc. The cap is provided with a boss 4| which surrounds the standard and is secured thereto by a screw 42. A single switch contact 43 similar to the switch contacts above described is mounted in a recess in the disc 36 and is urged upwardly by a spring 44 seated in the recess in rear of the contact.

The revoluble switch member 45 is a disc of 86 the same diameter as the stationary disc and formed of like material. Likewise the member is provided with an axial opening 46 which loosely receives the standard iii. A knurled edge 41 on the member promotes easy rotating of the memher. The member is interposed between the stationary discs 24 and 36 and is confined in position on the standard by the stationary discs. The revoluble member is provided in the top face with an arcuate switch contact 48 which is con- 45 centric with the opening 46 and is approximately a half circle in rectilinear length. The switch contact is countersunk in the top face of the revoluble switch member as best shown in Figure I. An annular switch contact 49 is counter- 50 sunk in the bottom face of the revoluble switch member and is concentric with and encircles the standard I0. Both of the switch contacts 48 and 49 are connected together .by screw bolts 50 and 5| which in addition to assembling the switch contacts with the member also electrically connect the switch contacts to each other.

By reierring to Figure 1 wherein the wiring is shown diagrammatically, it will be seen that the lamp cord 52 enters the standard and one of the wires 58 thereof is led through an opening t l in the standard and connected to the switch contact 44 in the lower stationary disc 3'6. Conductor wires Bl, N, and I! connect the lamp sockets l8, l1, and it with the corresponding switch contacts ll, 32 and :1, these wires being concealed within the cap plate and the bore of the standard and passing out of the standard through an opening 58 therein as best shown in Figure 1. The return wire 59 of the lamp cord is concealedin the bore oi the standard and in the cap is connected to the return wires 80, 6|, and 62 of the lamp sockets", i1, and i8.

The revoluble switch member 45 may be manually turned to cause the arcuateswitch contact 88 to have wiping engagement with one or more or the switch contacts of the upper stationary switch member to energize one. or more of the lamp bulbs. For example when the arcuate switch contact 48 is brought into engagement with the stationary switch contact II a circuit may be traced through the wire 38, lower stationary switch contact l4, annular switch contact 49, screw bolt 5|, arcuate switch contact 40, upper stationary switch contact 3 l, wire 5!, lamp 2i and return wires 80 and 5!. when the revoluble switch member is turned sufllciently to cause the arcuate switch contact 48 to bridge and have wiping contact with the upper stationary switch contacts 3! and 32, the same circuit above traced will be energized and in addition thereto a circult will simultaneously be made through the switch contact 32, wire 56 and return wires 6i and 59 whereby both lamp bulbs 2i and 22 will be simultaneously energized. When the revoluble switch member is turned suiilciently to cause the arcuate switch contact 48 to bridge all three or the stationary switch contacts ll, 32 and 83,

; the two above traced circuits will be energized and in addition thereto a circuit may be traced through the switch contact 33, wire 51 and return wires Git-and I! whereby the lamp bulb' 23 will be energized simultaneously with; the lamp bulbs 2i and 22. A reversed step'movement of the revoluble switch member will selectively extingulsh the lamp bulbs in sequence reversed from the order above described. Thus it will be apparent that the lamp bulbs may be enerized singly or in groups or as an entirety by a simple step rotation of the revoluble switch member.

For conducting the circuit wires through the lamp base a connector I is employed. As best shown in Figure 6 the connector comprises a socket member 84 which is provided with a flange i5 thatissecuredtothebase ll bymeans of screws CI. The socket is provided with a disc 81 of insulating material in which is mounted contact prongs Bl. The circuit wires II and II are secured to the prongs by screws 00. A flanged cap 10 is screwed on to the socket l4 and ai'iords access to the prongs N for applying and removing the circuit wires.

A plug 'II of insulating material is provided with tubular contacts 12 to receive the prongs N. A cap 13 is threaded on to the end of the plug and is provided with an axial bore 14 which receives a conductor cord II the individual wires 18 of which are connected to the tubular contacts 12 by means of screws I1 which are screwed into the ends 01' the contacts. The cord 1! is terminally equipped with a conventional plug cap 18 i'or insertion in the floor, wall or other outlet in the usual manner.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation oi our invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lamp, a tubular standard, a cap plate, lamp sockets on the cap plate, an upper switch member fixed to thestandard, a lower switch member fixed to the standard, a movable switch member revolubly mounted on the standard between the iixed switch members, a plurality of switch contacts arranged in an arcuate row on the bottom face oi the upper stationary switch member, an arcuate switch contact on the top face 01' the movable switch member adapted to bridge the stationary member switch contacts, a switch contact on the top face of the lower stationary switch member, an annular switch contact on the bottom face oi the movable switch member disposed in wiping contact with the lower stationary member contact, connectofs securing the arcuate switch contact and the annular switch contact to the movable switch mem her and electrically connecting the arcuate and annular switch contacts together, and circuit wires operatively connected to the switch contacts oi the stationary switch members and to the lamp sockets.

2. A switch comprising stationary switch members concentrically mounted, a revoluble switch member concentrically mounted between the stationary members, an arcuate series of switch 5 contacts on one oi the stationary members, a single switch contact on the other stationary member, an arcuate switch contact on the revoluble switch member adapted to have wiping contact with the series or switch contacts on one of the stationary member, an annular switch contact on the revoluble switch member having wiping contact with the single switch contact 01 the other stationary member, and connectors electrically connecting the annular switch contact and the arcuate switch contact together.

, HOWARD THORNTON. 

